Apollo Alliance for Michigan’s Energy Future
Posted in Energy Economy | Energy Industry | Energy Politics | Future Technology
An alliance of labor and environmental groups went to Lansing this summer with an important proposal for the Legislature to consider in trying to revitalize Michigan’s economy.
Too bad lawmakers blew out of town the night before for a long break they’ll use to help get themselves re-elected.
The Apollo Alliance hosted a news conference anyway, at which its organizers said Michigan can become one of the leading states in developing an alternative-energy industry. But first it must implement incentives to attract investment in biofuels and the manufacturing of vehicles that various alternative energies power.
“The movement for alternative energy is sweeping the nation,” said national Apollo Alliance Chairman Jerome Ringo, also chairman of the National Wildlife Federation Board.
“Apollo believes that in 10 years we can create 3 million new jobs in the United States, plus declare our energy independence.”
Nearly two-dozen labor and environmental groups are members of the nonprofit group.
But it will take a major effort before those Middle East oil sheiks start worrying about making their palace payments on oil revenues from the United States.
Hence, the name Apollo Alliance, inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Apollo space project.
Michigan may have more to gain, and more to lose, than any other state in an economy that could someday run its engines on corn, wind, sun and hydrogen.
The home of the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine stands to lose tens of thousands of jobs if the auto industry moves away from petroleum as a power source, several studies have warned.
